YUMA, Ariz. – The Arizona Western Matadors Softball team punched their ticket to the Region I DI Softball Championship Game with a pair of wins on the first day of the Region I Tournament, beating Southern Nevada 6-4 in eight innings before beating Yavapai 9-4 in the second game.

Rauni Gallegos went 3-for-4 with two runs batted in, while Analy Trejo finished the game 2-for-3 with two runs knocked in, in the Matadors' 6-4 win over the Coyotes.

The Matadors took an early lead in the first inning, scoring a run on a bases-loaded walk worked by Hannah Love to put the Matadors in front 1-0.

After the Coyotes took a 3-1 lead with a two-run bottom of the first inning and another run in the third inning, the Matadors tied the game on a two-run single off the bat of Trejo in the fifth.

The teams went back-and-forth as the College of Southern Nevada grabbed a 4-3 lead on a bunt before the Matadors did the same to tie the game at 4-4 in the sixth inning.

With the game in extra innings, Gallegos singled to put the Matadors in front 5-4 prior to Krisilyn Corral driving in an insurance run to push the lead to 6-4.

Corral earned the win in relief, tossing two shutout innings with three strikeouts and not allowing a hit.

Gallegos went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Corral drove in a pair of runs to help the Matadors win their second game of the day, beating the Roughriders 9-4.

For a second consecutive game, the Matadors fell behind as Yavapai scored two runs in the third inning before the Matadors answered with four in the bottom half of the frame. Corral put the Matadors on the board with an RBI single to center, where the ball was misplayed, allowing two more runs to score and putting the Matadors in front 3-2. Trejo added the fourth run with a sacrifice fly.

The Matadors erupted for four more runs in the fourth inning, scoring runs on singles from Lea Frechette and Autumn Arriola and a double from Gallegos before a Corral sacrifice fly capped off the scoring.

Hannah Love drove in the Matadors' ninth run of the game with a single in the sixth inning as the Matadors were able to fend off a late charge by the Roughriders to earn the 9-4 win.

The Matadors will play for a Region I championship at 12:30 pm on Saturday, May 10, taking on the winner of the 11:00 am game between Yavapai and College of Southern Nevada at Eastern Arizona College Softball Field.

The Matadors are undefeated in the double-elimination tournament and need just one more win to earn a spot at the NJCAA DI Softball World Series. Yavapai or Southern Nevada would have to beat the Matadors twice, utilizing an 'if necessary' game at 3:00 pm.